The Voice of the Martyrs Radio

ARRESTED IN MIDDLE EAST: Prison Was a Mission Field

Brother Nathan had a ministry sharing the gospel and praying with Muslims in the Middle East. He and other believers had been evangelizing for more than eight years. The responses were almost completely positive. Then, as he was ministering with two others last year, they ran into a very different response. Nathan and his two friends found themselves in a police office, their hands behind their backs, facing a serious charge of “heralding Christianity. ” Nathan’s missionary journey started long before his arrest. At 19, Nathan joined YWAM to experience short-term mission work after deciding to give his entire life to be used by the Lord—wherever He asked Nathan to go. Nathan will share how Peter’s choice to step out of the boat on the water with Jesus inspired him to be all in with Christ. As a young man and zealous missionary, Nathan didn’t think much about the risk of Christian persecution—until it happened. Nathan will share advice and encouragement to future missionaries and describe his missionary work each day in the Middle East. “Muslims are hungry for prayer, ” Nathan shares. “They are real people with real issues who long for prayer. ” Nathan had many opportunities to pray healing over Muslims and see the Lord at work. Listen as he tells the story of his arrest and what he felt when as he realized he could be facing years in prison. Nathan will also share how the Lord relieved fear and anxiety when they took their prison bread and the water and turned it into a remembrance of Christ’s suffering. Since they didn’t have a Bible, the scripture they knew in their heart was all they had to hold onto during their worship and prayers to the Lord in prison. Join us next week to hear more of Nathan’s experience in prison and how it became their mission field for Christ! The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in Syria, North Korea, Iran, China and other nations throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

Learning From Persecuted Christians: “Is Jesus for the tough places?”

Nik and Ruth Ripken went to Africa as missionaries. They experienced great works of God, but also great hardship and loss. Malaria almost killed them. Four Christian friends in Somalia were killed in one day. Their 16-year-old son died suddenly. Out of their wrestling with grief and loss God gave them a new mission: meet with persecuted Christians all over the world and learn from them. For Nik, it was a very personal quest. “I don’t know if Jesus is trustworthy anymore. Somali believers are dead. Our son is dead. Our dreams are dead. And we want to know, Is Jesus for the tough places?” Out of their quest Nik Ripken Ministries was born. Nik shared the lessons persecuted Christians had taught him in a book, The Insanity of God. The book eventually became a film, released shortly after this interview was recorded. Today, Nik and Ruth host their own podcast, Witness & Persecution, and have recently launched a video-based group study, Insanity Unleashed. Listen as Nik and Ruth share their stories of God calling them to missions from very different backgrounds, and the hardship and loss they experienced on the field in Africa as missionaries. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in Syria, North Korea, Iran, China and other nations throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films.

Young Afghan Christian Forcibly Married

Mina, an Afghan Christian, was forced by her father to marry an abusive Muslim man because of her faith. The twenty-year-old became a follower of Christ after meeting some Christians online, and through her online community, she continued to grow in her faith. One day a neighbor overheard her worshiping God through an open window. The neighbor informed Mina's father, and he beat her severely. He then forced her to marry an older Muslim man.

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Christian Convert Rejected by Family

When Momina's family rejected her because of her faith, the body of Christ took her in. After the death of her husband, Momina was the sole provider for their young son, Mohammed. She met two Christian women who shared the gospel with her, and through their persistent witness, she came to faith in Christ. Soon after, the Muslim woman whom Momina lived with kicked her out of the house; her Muslim family members tried to kidnap Mohammed; and they refused to help Momina when she was hospitalized for a serious illness in 2024.

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Literature Distribution Leads to Backlash Against Church

A pastor in Laos was arrested and accused of distributing Christian materials to local schools. In a part of northern Laos where Christians have faced harsh persecution, a church received a call from the district chief of police on Dec. 18, 2024. Two government primary schools had mysteriously received Bibles and pamphlets about salvation in Christ, enough for each student to have one. The police believed the members of this church were responsible for the distribution, which was illegal, but the pastor insisted that he had never even seen the pamphlet before.

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